ESPN NBA Draft analyst Chad Ford specifically mentions the Detroit Pistons when discussing the draft prospects of seven players in his latest big board.
Chad Ford came out with an updated big board for the 2016 NBA Draft this past week, but even more interesting than the player rankings is that he specifically mentioned the Detroit Pistons in the accompanying analysis of seven players.
It is no guarantee that one of these seven will be the eventual Pistons pick, but it might give an indication of where the Pistons could go with their pick – both with the player and with the position.
While mock drafts play out just one scenario, Ford has more latitude in putting together a big board while acknowledging several ways the draft could go.
Here are the seven players for which Ford drops in a mention of the Pistons.
Next: Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis
The top-ranked player on Ford’s board to get a Pistons mention, Gonzaga forward Domantas Sabonis checks in at number ten overall. Ford says the following along with the ranking:
"Sabonis really helped his cause at a pro day in Los Angeles two weeks ago. Allowed to show skills outside Gonzaga’s structured offense, Sabonis did two things that really sold scouts — he shot it very well from beyond the arc (a shot he rarely took in college) and showed off some explosiveness athletically. Those are the two biggest knocks on Sabonis’ game. If he can improve those, he should be a terrific pick. Based on my conversation with teams in Las Vegas, he’s looking more and more like a lottery pick, starting as high as the Kings at No. 8, the Raptors at No. 9, the Bucks at No. 10 and the Magic at No. 11. The Suns at No. 13 and Bulls at No. 14 are also possibilities in the late lottery. In the middle of the first round, the Celtics, Grizzlies, Pistons and Pacers all seem like potential homes. Look for him to land in the No. 8-20 range."
Ford’s ranking of Sabonis as the tenth player on his big board, along with his opinion that the range for Sabonis falls somewhere from 8-20 means the Pistons may never get a chance to make Sabonis their pick.
The 6-10, 238 pound Sabonis looks like the kind of stretch-four so many teams covet and showing more range than he showed at Gonzaga is sure to ease some concerns teams may have. Sabonis is already noted for having a high basketball IQ and rebounding ability.
Sabonis has been a popular pick for the Pistons in some mock drafts, but seems to becoming less popular as his starting to get mocked higher more consistently. Still, he’s a name to watch on draft night if he falls out of the lottery picks.
Next: Thon Maker
Thon Maker
Despite holding the 18th pick, mentions the Pistons for just one player inside his top 18 – the previously discussed Domantas Sabonis. Next up is his 19th-ranked player, Thon Maker. From Ford:
"Maker is the biggest mystery in the draft. He drew strong reviews from teams at a group workout in New York a couple of weeks ago, and the skepticism about him seems to be waning, especially among teams that think his long-term position in the NBA is the 5. Finding his draft range right now is challenging. There’s a lot of interest, but few teams are willing to commit. The Bucks are probably his ceiling at No. 10. Then, every team that has multiple first-rounders — Phoenix, Denver, Boston and Philly — is a good possibility. Detroit is another dark horse for Maker. The Pistons feel like they’re in a position to take a swing at someone with major upside at No. 18. No. 10 to the second round seems like a huge range, but it’s where Maker stands."
Maker is interesting in his own right but it is interesting Ford mentions the Pistons potentially looking to take a big swing knowing full well they might miss. Those kinds of gambles are more typically taken by terrible teams looking to get lucky or championship teams capable of showing patience for a risk-reward pick.
As a young team coming off their first playoff appearance, the Pistons don’t fit into either category. That being said, the Pistons do have a fairly set core of players they hope can develop together into a championship group together. That leaves room for a boom or bust pick like Maker.
Next: Denzel Valentine
Denzel Valentine
The third-highest ranked player to get a Pistons mention and the 22nd player overall on Ford’s big board, it won’t be hard to sell fans on Denzel Valentine if he is the eventual pick. Ford’s analysis:
"Valentine has been flirting with being a late lottery selection for the past few months, but there seems to be a slight cooling effect lately as teams start to get more excited by the idea of upside than they are by Valentine’s proven ability. The Jazz, Suns and Bulls all like him in the late lottery. But if he slid to the Pistons at No. 18, Pacers at No. 20, Hawks at No. 21 or Hornets at No. 22, it wouldn’t shock me."
Potential is typically the name of the game in the NBA Draft but Valentine is a “what you see is what you get” prospect as an experienced college players. That’s not a bad thing considering the career Valentine had at Michigan State and the versatile skill set he brings to the NBA.
Sometimes it’s better to not over think things as there are 29 teams wishing they had selected a similarly versatile, high character, high basketball IQ from Michigan State just a few years ago. Draymond Green‘s success with the Golden State Warriors might have helped Valentine’s draft stock but Ford’s ranking and intel suggests the Pistons or the picks that follow are a good target range for Valentine on draft night.
Next: Tyler Ulis
Tyler Ulis
Point guard is a definite need for the Pistons behind Reggie Jackson so it is no surprise to see Ford connect one to the team. First up is Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis, who checks in at 23 on the Ford big board. Ford explains:
"I’m a huge Ulis fan, but the number of teams willing to draft him in the late lottery to mid-first round seems to be shrinking as upside triumphs production at this stage of the draft. Ulis has also suffered from the workout process, as many pass-first point guards do. It’s not ideal for a player like him who thrives in real 5-on-5 action. The Bulls at No. 14, Pistons at No. 18, Pacers at No. 20, Sixers at No. 24 and Clippers at No. 25 appear to be the best fits."
Ulis had a decision to go pro last year or return to Kentucky for his sophomore season and looks to have made the right call by delaying his NBA dream by a year. He faces concerns about his size, but that wouldn’t go away no matter how long he stayed in school.
Would the Pistons be content with a player who would project for them to be just a backup point guard, even though it is a need? That remains to be seen but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Stan Van Gundy likes Ulis coming off his bench for his quickness, pesky defense and ability to distribute the ball.
Next: Demetrius Jackson
Demetrius Jackson
26th on Ford’s big board is another point guard garnering a Pistons mention. Ford says the following about Demetrius Jackson from Notre Dame:
"Jackson continues the trend of prospects who could go in the late lottery or in the late first round. His athleticism, ability to play at both ends of the floor and toughness all bring major appeal, although his lack of size and aggressiveness offensively hurts him somewhat. The Bulls at No. 14, Grizzlies at No. 17, Pistons at No. 18, Hornets at No. 22, Sixers at No. 24 and Clippers at No. 25 are all in the picture."
Jackson offers more physical upside than Ulis but is still on the smaller side at 6-1, 194 pounds.
Depending on how the draft board falls on draft night, it may not be hard to determine if the Pistons preferred to fill their void at backup point guard with a rookie or a veteran through free agency or a trade.
Next: Cheick Diallo
Cheick Diallo
Back to big men, Kansas forward Cheick Diallo is 27th on Ford’s big board but gets mentioned for potential landing spots better or equal to that:
"Diallo is really hard to place right now and may make a major jump leading up to the draft. He was originally No. 10 on our Big Board in July. After not getting real minutes at Kansas this year, he’s helped himself a lot in workouts over the past few weeks. His motor and athleticism are great for a big his size, and he’s showing more and more potential offensively. The Celtics at No. 16 and No. 23, Pistons at No. 18, Hawks at No. 21 and Raptors at No. 27 all are potential spots for him."
Diallo is an interesting player for Ford to mention to the Pistons because at 6-9, 219 pounds, he is small as a center and doesn’t have a typical offensive profile for a Stan Van Gundy four. Where Diallo goes may be dependent on how much faith NBA teams have in his development offensively.
He hasn’t popped up as a pick for the Pistons in our NBA mock draft database, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be under consideration.
Next: Ben Bentil
Ben Bentil
The last player with a Pistons mention on Ford’s big board, Providence forward Ben Bentil, ranked 29th, gets a Pistons mention as a best-case scenario for his draft stock:
"Bentil’s ability to stretch the floor and score anywhere is a major plus for him. He’s a bit undersized and may try to shoot too much, but there just aren’t that many players with his offensive polish and size in the draft. Between the Pistons at No. 18, Celtics at No. 23, Raptors at No. 27, Suns at No. 28, Spurs at No. 29 and Warriors at No. 30, one could call his name on draft night."
Draft range projection aside, Bentil would seem a better fit for Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons than Diallo based on his offensive profile. However, Ford ranking Bentil as the 29th-best prospect in this draft isn’t out of line with other opinions so going with the 18th pick feels like a reach.
The problem for the Pistons might be that they find themselves liking a group of players for which their first round pick is too high and their second round pick is too low such that those players are off the board. But if you like a player enough, you’ve got to take him and hopefully be proven right in time.